1805.] 
arrived in India with the moft hoftile dif- 
pofition, and a reftlefs anxiety of embrac- 
ing every opportunity for opening a way 
among the Native Powers for their fyftem 
of political intrigue, and for finding out 
there a rival influence, in order to weaken 
the Britifh power in that part of the 
globe. 
“¢ According to information tranf{mitted 
to me, I have no doubt that the intention 
of the French government was to difperfe 
emiflaries of political intrigue, and mili- 
tary adventurers in all the courts and 
camps of the Native Princes: and I am 
convinced that all the queftions fuppofed 
in my difpatch of the zoth of June, 
would have been ftarted immediately after 
the reftitution of the French eftablifhments. 
<¢ That I may afford your Excellency 
an opportunity of judging of the political 
and military progre{s of the French, who 
have arrived in India, in confequence of 
the peaceof Amiens, I have the honour of 
fubjoining two pieces, one of which comes 
from Pondicherry from Liewtenant Colonel 
Cullen, an officer charged with the execu- 
tion of the reftitutions to be made on the 
coaft of Coromandel]: it was written by 
M. le Febre, formerly an officer in the 
fervice of the French at Pondicherry, who 
accompanied M. Decaen in India, and 
who at the time Colonel Cullen had this 
piece, was Aid-de-Camp to M. Binot. 
This memoir was prefented to the Firft 
Conful of the French Republic; and Co- 
lonel Cullen remarked, that it was confi- 
dered at Pondicherry as a fecret paper, 
which he could not obtain without great 
difficulty. The fecond piece was ad- 
dreffed to me by M. Maller, who fays, he 
holds in the army the rank of Chef de Bri- 
gade. He arrived at Calcutta foon after 
the news of the renewal of hoftilities be- 
tween Great Britain and France had ar- 
rived at the Prefidency. Having declared 
that it was in his power to difcover to this 
Government things of importance in re- 
gard to the defigns of France ; and hav- 
ing afked him to communicate this infor- 
mation in writing, he addrefled to me the 
letter which I have the honour of fubjoin- 
ing. 
‘*< Though thefe papers contain propofals 
which in many re[pects are abfurd and chi. 
merical, they fufficiently indicate the {pi- 
rit of thofe who conceived and approved 
them; and even the execution of fome of 
thofe projects cannot be fuppofed to be fo 
vilionary, when one refle‘ts on the ftate of 
the Native Armies, as tiey might at firt 
appear, 
State of Public Affairs in May, 18035. 
503 
“‘ The caufes and events of the conteft 
in which the Britifh Government is now 
engaged againft two Chiefs of the Mah- 
ratta Empire, have given fufficient proofs 
of the formidable power which might be 
eftablifhed by French adventurers, and a 
fpirit of enterprife in the armies and ftates 
of the native powers. 
«Your Excellency will certainly turn 
your attention to the difpatches addreffed, 
during the laft fix months, to the Secret 
Committee of the Court of Direé&tors, by 
the Governor-General feparately, and by 
the Governor-General in Council, and 
you will foon perceive the rapid increafe 
and dangerous military refources of Dow- 
Jut-Row-Scindiah, under the direétion of 
M. Peron, or rather the rapid and dan- 
gerous increafe of the military refources of 
the French in India, under the nominalau- 
thority of Dowlut-Row-Scindiah. 
<‘If the pivatical ftate founded by M. 
Peron on the Banks of the Jumna, had not 
been to my knowledge, anteriorly con- 
neéted with the French Government, your 
Excellency will judge that this circum- 
ftance ought not to have exhibited danger, 
notwith{tanding the formation and increafe 
of fuch a power in India. This power 
was fully prepared to give effeétual and 
cordial aid to fupport the French caufe in 
India, and to forward the projects of 
France with equal promptitude and zeal. 
‘< The origin, indeed, and progrefs of 
the civil and military authority of M. 
Peron muft be afcribed to the diforder and 
confufion of the Mahratta Empire, the 
weaknefs and corruption of the Council of 
Scindiah, and the decline of his real inter- 
efts and juft dominion. The Chiefs and 
Commanders of this French State are all 
military adventurers, and they have drawn 
their refources from licentious conqueft 
and unbounded depredation. ‘Thefe traits 
of their charaéter, however, do not appear 
to be of fuch a nature as to render them 
altogether unworthy of the attention of 
the prefent rulers of France. Your Ex- 
cellency will remark in regard to the poli- 
tical progrels of France in India, the ad- 
vantage which M. Peron and his band of 
French adventurers have derived from the 
abufe of the nominal authority of the un- 
fortunate Emperor Shah-Alum. 
‘© M. Peron has obtained the exercife of 
the Sovereign authority over a territory, 
the annual revenues of which are nearly 
two millions fterling, and hehas negociated 
and concluded treaties and alliances in his 
Owa name, with feveral petty ftatcs.”” 
INCIDENTS, 
